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Dame Noelle Kuphal is a Dame of Entsteig and former member of the Queen's Guard. She is considered to be one of the most experienced warriors from Entsteig and proved ever resilient in the fight against the demonic invasion. After the Worldstone's Destruction, she became a member of the Eternal Companions where she would continue her efforts in aiding those who suffered in the wake of the Emergence of Evil. In Entsteig, she is called Heaven's Whip by friend and foe alike. Noelle has garnished a nigh-legendary reputation in her nation. Entsteig recognizes her not by her excellence as a warrior, which she has proved in battle countless times, but rather her attributes of male power. Despite her countless victories, Noelle retired from fighting and went into exile after a near fatal wound that left her in a coma for several months. In her exile, she became a patron of the Order of Zakarum in Entsteig. History Noelle's parentage remains a mystery, as she was adopted by the lordship of Entsteig and taken in as a ward. Her surname was given to her by the court and she is the only known member of her initiate family. Over the years, much speculation has emerged regarding the circumstances of her family and birth. Her Queen's Guardian Serving as a ward within the royal castle, Noelle was tasked as a maid and taught how to serve noblemen. As she grew, Noelle developed a passion for chivalry and fighting, yet yearned for the proper instructor to teach her ways of Knighthood. It wasn't until she began bullying other children and getting in trouble by the city watch did the Quartermaster of the Castle, Sir Reginald Dontos, begin training her. Noelle took much admiration from Reginald for his decorative service to Entsteig. The Queen of Entsteig was reluctant at first in bringing Noelle into her personal service, but would later change her mind when she saw how adequate Noelle was in both garbs of armor and elegant dresses, which presented a duality in not only appearance but reputation. At the age of 18, Noelle swore her oath into Damehood and became the youngest woman to join the Queen's Guard. Noelle's overdeveloped devotion to the Queen earned her a seat in court. When the Queen would attend tournaments, and spectate the matches, Her Majesty would always choose Noelle in place of others Knights, allowing the dame to become a fan favorite. Having become Her Majesty's favorite soldier, Noelle was tasked by the Queen on a royal mission: cleanse the Sharval Wilds of outlaws. Noelle's first task was to find an apprentice to aid her on the quest, so she turned to Jillian who was an enthusiastic squire eager for a fight. The duo ventured into the wilderness to purge the roads from highwayman and wildlings, but within several months, Noelle was unsuccessful at rooting out the attacks. Eventually, the dame and apprentice captured a group of bandits raiding a caravan. Her captives revealed the location of an outlaw encampment deep within the Sharval Wilds. The bandits, having been brought back to Entsteig by Noelle, were trialed and hanged, while King Charles issued his royal troops to capture the inhabitants of the outlaw encampment. Paid Blade Over the course of her adventures, Noelle would sometimes travel with mercenary groups. While journeying, she would track bounties across Entsteig and the Sharval Wilds. Noelle would also protect towns and villages against attacks by wildlings from the east, corsairs from the west and barbarians from the north. Whenever Noelle would travel outside of the capital, such as escorting convoys to and from Bastion's Keep, she would act as majordomo for the Queen. In 1263, she participated in the Fight at Hizseck's Square, a battle which was fought in a small town between two forces: Corsair invaders and Entsteig defenders. Less than a year later, she aided in the Reclaiming of Stormhall; the skirmish nearly costed her life when she suffered a two broken ribs and severe concussion. Upon hearing of Noelle's drastic injuries, Her Majesty made sure that the castle healers took the crippled Dame under their aid; within months, she made a full recovery and was rewarded handsomely for her efforts in the battle. The Emergence of Evil Prior to the War of the Black King, Entsteig faced off against a foul awakening of walking dead. All throughout the countryside is where villagers and small cities became besiege by zombies and walking skeletons. As the days darkened, Noelle was once again summoned to battle when King Charles sent out his holy Paladins and most trusted Knights to fight off the undead. Having served her Queen for many years, Noelle resigned from Her Majesty's service and assigned her apprentice, Jillian, as a replacement to the Queen's guard. It took several weeks for Noelle and her comrades to find the source of the risen undead: a female Necromancer known only as Ventress. Noelle and a group of Paladins infiltrated her lair and were horrified to discover a horde of undead massing for an assault. Known as the Attack in Underhill Passage, Noelle was but one of the few survivors who retreated and escaped from the cave. The undead thralled by Ventress were victorious, yet their losses were heavy and too crippled to launch an assault on a nearby village. After her forces repelled the Entsteig warriors, Ventress retreated from Underhill Passage and fled south of the border. In late 1264 A.K. and during the War of the Black King, Noelle was stationed into a fort on the southern border of Entsteig. Called the Resistance of Southgate, the Knights of Khanduras became belligerent when they were refused council and shelter from the fortress. Khanduras laid siege to Southgate and denied all access to the southern Kingdom. Within a fortnight, King Charles sent a royal messenger to parlay with the Black King, but the messenger was instead brought to Tristram to be to tortured and flayed. In retaliation, Entsteig unleashed their full forces upon the siege, and Noelle was among the combatants to fight off the Knights of Khanduras. The losses were small on both sides, for Khanduras warriors retreated early from the battle and fled back to Tristram. After the Worldstone's destruction, Noelle volunteered to aid Bastion's Keep against the corrupt Barbarians. Her time in the Steppes proved to be her greatest challenge, for Bastion's Keep defended against the onslaught of the fallen Northmen and Baal's renegade demons. For nearly a year she provided the Keep's inhabitants with her valiance and leadership; Noelle earned the nickname Heaven's Whip among the soldiers of Bastion's Keep due to her fury and righteousness against evil. In early 1267 A.K. she concluded her duties in the ancient keep and returned home to Entsteig. The Eternal Companions In 1268 A.K. Noelle heard disturbing reports of a cemetery within the Sharval Wilds that was defiled by a necromancer that matched the description of Ventress. The Lord Commander of Entsteig, knowing Noelle's history with Ventress during the Attack in Underhill Passage, assigned her to investigate the scene. With a dozen Knights at her command, the Dame and her company ventured into the Sharval Wilds to discover the truth of the cemetery. Noelle was tasked at capturing the necromancer, dead or alive, but she greatly preferred the former. As the company followed the trail east, reports grew worse everyday; cadavers attached to stakes began to appear on the side of roads and dark clouds gathered deep in the forest. Nearly an hour before reaching their destination, Noelle and her comrades bared witness to a paranormal spectacle that was unleashed above the cemetery. When they arrived, they found the remnants of a battle scattered through out the cemetery, fought between two unknown forces. Four days after the cemetery battle, Noelle and her forces stumbled upon a weak and injured Hyuga, a Witch Doctor, in the forest; she learned that the Umbaru was defending the cemetery from Ventress. The Knights of Entsteig initially took hostility toward Hyuga, due to his dark magic, but Noelle granted him clemency and befriended him within a fortnight. Due to her kindness, the Witch Doctor was brought before the Zakarum healers in the capital and his wounds properly healed. In return for her hospitality, Hyuga shared all the information he knew regarding Ventress and enlightened her on the activities of the Eternal Companions, an organization in which he - and Ventress, long ago - swore allegiance too. In the following months Noelle became familiar with the organization that was the Eternal Companions. Hyuga introduced her to fellow leaders such as Executor Ikeda Cao, Archmage Katheryne Sévérine and Prelate Alec Kylar. She became integrated into their ranks and developed a close partnership with Hyuga in tracking down Ventress. The search for Ventress was of little avail, yet her commitment in aiding the Eternal Companions proved resourceful to her peers, thus Ikeda and Katheryne requested she pledge herself to their cause; Initially disinclined to acquiesce their request, Noelle eventually was convinced to join after she witnessed the selflessness of Hyuga and the other members of the Eternal Companions risking their lives to aid the citizens of the Western Kingdoms. In 1268 A.K. Hyuga and her eventually caught onto Ventress' trail; expecting a fight or resistance from her, both companions were shocked to find the Necromancer restoring peace to a nearby village that was being harassed by a demonic spirit. However, their attempt to detain her was fruitless as she overpowered the Dame and the Witch Doctor. Before Ventress escaped from the duo, she revealed to them "the Void is calling; whispers summon me", referring to the Grand Widow. When Noelle and Hyuga reported the Necromancer's words to the leaders of the Eternal Companions, Alec was particularly distraught for reasons unknown. Noelle later learned of Ventress' moniker as The Lady of Corpses and that the Necromancer's real name was Zira. Months later, Ventress resurfaced during The War of the Shadows. Trial of the Dawn A Dame's Last Promise Order of Light Appearance and Character Noelle can be headstrong and judgmental, but she is also honest, straightforward, loyal and determined. Although she has received extremely poor treatment from most knights, due to her gender, Noelle clings to a naively idealized concept of knighthood. Despite – or perhaps because of – the fact that she has no expectation of ever being recognized by society for her accomplishments and strength of character, she nevertheless strives to live up to the ideal of a true knight at all times. Though she followers orders given by her peers, Noelle is a woman who does not conform, and who defies cultural expectations. Her character highlights the perception of women in the Western Kingdomms in that her fellow warriors assume that her sexuality is something to be coerced or taken, not something over which she has control. Noelle's sexuality is often ambiguous as she secretly enjoys the company of women; her experience with men stems from their overly harsh demeanor and sexist views on her position as a warrior, thus invoking her to sway away from sexual relationship with men who are male dominate. She identifies as a homosexual, though she has often contradicts her sexual preference by openly admitting her feelings toward men whom she shares interpersonal relationships with, such as Alec Kylar, whom once swore on his life to protect Noelle from danger which provoked her to develop a strong connection to him. She is also very close friends with Hyuga who is also homosexual. The mystery revolving around the unknown identity of Noelle's parents have lead to many speculations about her past. A well known theory is she is a descendant of royal blood, possibly the daughter of King Justinian III, but was abandoned by her peers. Others claim she is the bastard child of a member of court or lordship from Entsteig. However, none of the theories surrounding her have actual evidence, thus are dismantled or ignored by Noelle.